If you have recently been in an accident or suffered a personal injury at work, your initial reaction might be to minimize the seriousness of your injuries and not rock the boat. The thing is, insurance and workers compensation laws are in place to protect workers and their employers when accidents do happen. If you have reported an incident to your employer and aren’t sure what the next steps are, it is important that you know your personal rights and understand the gravity of your specific situation. You may need an attorney to help you resolve your case in a way that protects your rights, finances, and future. Here are four scenarios you might find yourself in when it comes to workers compensation that might call for more than just reporting your accident.
1. If You Work for a Small Business
If you have sustained on-the-job injuries but your employer happens to be a small business, you might wonder if they will be equipped to process and handle your claim. While your employer might have the best of intentions, if they try to offer you other perks such as paid time off or paying for your medical bills, this can be a good indicator that your report isn’t being managed through the proper channels. You might need an attorney to help you and your employer handle your claim more seriously.
2. Delayed or Denied Claims
If you are putting through the paperwork asked of you to report your work-related injuries and just don’t feel like your case is moving along, finding an attorney to sort through your case and see where this stands might be the best option. Sometimes insurance agencies can move slowly, but there are deadlines that need to be met to ensure that your claim is processed in a timely matter and isn’t ultimately denied due to an administrative error. Especially if you are missing work due to an injury or need reimbursements for medical bills or lost wages, your situation can escalate quickly. Once your claim is processed, an attorney can then step in to ensure that you are ultimately granted a settlement that fits with your needs from an injury.
3. Significant, Long-Term, or Permanent Injury
If your injuries are substantial, it will be well worth your while to navigate your workers’ comp case with an attorney. If you are still dealing with doctor’s visits and injuries, you might not have the time or space to deal with the follow-up or paperwork needed for your claim from your employer and insurer. This type of documentation can be something an attorney can help with, along with outside medical assessments to truly indicate where your case stands.
4. If You Don’t Feel Safe at Work
If your employment climate has changed since you reported an injury, you might want an attorney in your corner. Changes can include being ignored, a decrease in hours, or anything else that might feel hostile. While your claim might be working through the proper channels, if you are worried that your employment might be in jeopardy or your employer now sees you as a liability, it is worth your while to document these findings with the help of an attorney. This way, you can ensure that if you are eventually let go for a seemingly different reason, that your workers’ comp claim may have stemmed this unfair decision.
Suffering an injury at work is never fun, but it is important to really step back and make sure you are taking care of yourself. If you aren’t sure if your employer is equipped to handle your case or your claim isn’t getting you the results you initially were hoping for, it might be time to consult with a personal injury attorney. Contact us to review your specific case and make recommendations to swiftly move your claim forward and get you the results that you are entitled to.